Newcastle United were just seven minutes away from a massive derby defeat, Sunderland just seven minutes away from their seventh straight derby win.

Time was running when Georginio Wijnaldum got the better of substitute Dame N’Doye on the right wing before hanging up a cross at the back post for Aleksandar Mitrovic to head the ball home.

It was a major blow for the Black Cats who had largely been the better side, with the clearer chances, for the first hour or so.

In the end, both sides had to settle for a point from what was billed as the biggest derby between the two in years. It leaves both still in a precarious position in the Premier League table, but at least giving them both a fighting chance of survival.

So what did the national Press make of the game? And who did the result suit the most? Here’s a round-up of what the nationals said about the Tyne-Wear derby stalemate.

“For 82 minutes, Newcastle were drifting into oblivion – a team without direction or purpose.

“Then Aleksandar Mitrovic hauled his 6ft 3in frame off the ground to power a back-post header into the Sunderland net.

“It could be a goal that changes the course of their season. Or it could be a minor postscript in what seemed, for a long period during Sunday’s derby draw, to be Newcastle’s inevitable slide into the Championship.

“After 90 minutes of tension, poor quality and ­skirmishes, Newcastle and Sunderland remain locked in the bottom three, facing the prospect of being united by relegation.

“Newcastle have won two in 14, Sunderland one in nine.

“At this rate, they will be having a rematch next season... in the Championship.”

“So a draw was the result. Something to save both sides from the wretched despair of a derby defeat but not much to help their positions in the Premier League. Indeed you could say the team to benefit most from this were Norwich, who remain fourth from bottom.”

“An afternoon that offered Rafael Benítez a most unwelcome window into Steve McClaren’s old world at least ended on a modestly optimistic note for Newcastle United’s new manager.

“Aleksandar Mitrovic’s headed equaliser not only ended Sunderland’s sequence of six straight North East derby wins but kept the race to avoid relegation wide open. If Sam Allardyce was marginally happier with the point, Newcastle have all to play for when they pay Norwich City a critically important visit after the international break.”

“Like two crabs in a barrel fighting for their lives, in their desperation to climb out of trouble, Newcastle United and Sunderland merely made sure their rivals did not get away from them.

“A draw was probably the fair result, in a typically frenetic and frenzied Tyne-Wear derby, that brought relief and disappointment in equal measure.

“Sunderland will feel they threw three points away, given they had looked so comfortable after taking the lead through Jermain Defoe, while Newcastle will feel it was a point gained, given they equalised so late in the game through Aleksandar Mitrovic and finally ended a run of six consecutive defeats to their bitterest of rivals.”

“The new manager has at least stopped a rot, although there are grim statistics everywhere – it is one win in nine games for Sunderland (although nine derbies without defeat) and one point from 15 for Newcastle.

“When the final whistle went, the celebrating had ceased. Both sets of players looked at each other. Both clubs could still be relegated, but that there was even an element of uncertainty was down to the goal for which Mitrovic had removed his shirt.”

“It was the result no one wanted, apart perhaps from Norwich City. Suddenly the threat of the North East losing one of its Premier League teams is the least of the region’s problems. Both of them are under serious threat now and they are in danger of their only satisfaction being that they are likely to drag the other down with them into the Championship.